New York State Health Foundation

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Integrating Mental Health and Substance Use Services

Integrating Mental Health and Substance Use Services

In New York State, 50% of people who suffer from a mental health disorder are simultaneously struggling with some form of substance use. NYSHealth committed $10 million over five years, through the end of 2012, to improve the integration of care for people who cope with mental health and substance use conditions at the same time, with a focus on reducing clinical, regulatory, and financial barriers.

Through the establishment of the Center for Excellence in Integrated Care (CEIC), NYSHealth supported efforts at clinical delivery sites throughout all phases of the recovery process, including identifying, diagnosing, and treating both conditions simultaneously. At the end of 2012, after a five-year investment, NYSHealth had successfully achieved its goals in this area. CEIC met its target of working with 600 of the 1,000 licensed mental health and substance use programs across the State to help them make the necessary changes to address people’s mental health and substance use problems at the same time. Early evaluation results of the initiative show that these sites are now offering integrated care for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
In 2013, the Foundation will continue to capture and share the lessons learned from this work and the stories of patients and providers affected by the program. NYSHealth’s efforts to integrate substance use and mental health services also will inform its emerging focus on advancing primary care. 

Learn more about the initiative from NYSHealth Vice President, Program, Jacqueline Martinez Garcel in the video below.

Measuring Our Impact

The indicators below help us to track the Foundation’s and our grantees’ progress to improve the integration of services for people who cope with both mental health and substance use disorders at the same time.

 

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Program Impact: Integrating Mental Health and Substance Use Services
What we are doing How we measure progress Where we started Where we have been Where we are now What this
means

Work with New York State’s outpatient mental health and substance use clinics to ensure that people with both mental health and substance use disorders receive integrated care—that is, treatment for both conditions at the same time.

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By the end of 2012, provide technical assistance to 600 outpatient mental health and substance use clinics in New York State to help them provide care for both mental health and substance use disorders at the same time.

2008: 0 clinics

2011: 451 clinics

2012: 581 clinics

As of April 2013, our main grantee in this program area had reached 595 sites, and is on target to reach the remaining five.

Contribute to improving care for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

 

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50% of stakeholders who are familiar with NYSHealth's work on mental health and substance use agree that the Foundation is effective at creating impact on this issue in New York State.

2011: N/A

2011: N/A

2012: 51% of stakeholders

The target percentage of our stakeholders agrees that we are having impact in this area.

Note: Our program strategy in this area focuses on increasing the capacity of mental health and substance use clinics to provide integrated care. Ultimately, in part because of these efforts, we hope to see an increase in the percentage of New Yorkers who receive care that treats both conditions. We also use social impact measures to help us to understand and track the context of our work to improve care for people who cope with mental health and substance use disorders at the same time.